Song Review: "Another Way To Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys

After several busy minutes of thinking, I realized that my criteria for rating entire albums can be easily applied to individual songs, which is a useful practice for when a song enters the popular scope in such a way as this song has.

I just returned home from the 5:00 showing of Quantum of Solace, and I was successful in my attempt to avoid listening to this song until I was able to hear it on the ultra loud speakers in the movie theater. I also think this is appropriate because the opening song to a James Bond movie is a vital part to the experience; it would be like watching a five minute clip of any other part of the movie.

So tonight was the first time I listened to the song, and I was quite glad that I waited. The song, a blend of two curious yet somehow complementary artists, completely represents the blend of mindless action with snappy writing that embodies James Bond's film career.

On one hand you have the mindless action: the explosions, car chases, sexual detours (which can definitely be classified as action), and the other big fights that seem to capture America at large's attention. This side is the one that the slick-voiced Alicia Keys resides in: her nearly-universal appeal was most likely the driving force that brought the execs to her doorstep. (Disclaimer: I do not mean to imply that Alicia Keys is mindless, nor do I mean to insult her fans who like her generally listenable music.)

Then on the other side is the less lauded aspects of the Bond flicks: the dialogue and the sentimentality that most viewers with TiVo skip through in order to get to the next helicopter vs. jet battle. Jack White is wearing this team's jersey, as he has a certain unapproachability to him (mostly because he acts like a hermit) yet still intrigues people with his musical mind.

Hear it Now!

This union of the two takes the grand stage with a wonderful background accompaniment. The grungy line that White has mastered in his duo makes a cameo in the song and is accompanied by Keys' piano skills and horns, creating a song that fits the occasion. This looks and sounds like a Bond song, which is good...because it is one.

The only main problem with the song is the same problem with many songs of today's age: the bridge, or lack thereof. The bridge has been largely left in recent music in lieu of the breakdown, where the singer makes noises with his mouth in an attempt to distract the listeners from the inevitable fact that a chorus is once again barreling towards them. Breakdowns never have truly resonated with me, and this one is no exception.

Other than that, it is a song that screams cool, slick, and dangerous, all things which 007 is.

Scoring:

Replayability: (19/20) The chorus is catchy and you want to listen to it again when you leave the theater, or at least I did. This is easily a radio single, whose very definition is that it can be played over and over again without consequence.

Music: (19/20) Nearly flawless arrangement by White. The piano, the guitar, and the drums perfectly collaborate to create an atmospheric song that fits the mood of the world it introduces.

Lyrics: (17/20) Once again, the lyrics fit the movie. The word "solace" is used quite deliberately, which is annoying, but otherwise the lyrics completely set the tone for Quantum, especially the ever-present (read: beat into our heads OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER) theme of trust.

Completeness: (16/20) The verses are great, the chorus is incredibly strong, and the breakdown is the only thing that hurts this score.

Emotional Pull: (15/20) Not that it doesn't hit any emotional chords, but the point of this song is more the pairing of oil and water than the actual content of the song. That being said, the tie of the lyrics to the movie and the stirring effect of Keys and White singing together is what keeps this score above water.

Total Score: 86

Grade: B

As always, keep in mind that a B is a great grade to have if you want to have a song that sticks out in listeners' minds. The pick of this duo for this song (which was obviously highly contested) is clearly the right choice: it obviously garnered more attention that last Bond flick's theme by Chris Cornell.